I like Bernie Sanders. I really, truly do. There are a few things he’s got going for him that I am a particularly strong supporter of, among them being how straight-forward he is with his intentions, the fact that he is such a strong proponent of lessening the massive wealth gap, his emphasis on prioritizing fixing America while not neglecting international crises, and his avid support of social equality. Frankly, I would not care if he ran as a Democrat or an independent Democratic Socialist (that’s a lie, it would be best if he ran on the Democratic ticket). It’s his firm policies and unwavering morals that make him who he is.
You can’t really say that Sanders isn’t straight with us. He cuts through the bullshit and gets to his policies and the core of his intentions. He actually follows through, too — not only does he disapprove of Citizens United (so do I), but he actively stands up to it. Sanders introduced Constitutional amendment S.J.RES.33 that, if passed, would “prohibit corporate spending in all elections” and allow Congress and States to regulate spending on elections, because big businesses and corporations should not be the ones deciding elections. Bernie goes as far as to refuse to accept PAC money for his campaigns, which is something incredibly admirable that I have never heard of any other candidates doing.
Senator Sanders is also a firm believer in reducing the widening wealth gap that, according to the rating agency Standard and Poor, increased the likelihood of the economy to fall victim to boom and bust cycles as well as slowing the progress of the recovery from the recession of 2008. According to Bernie’s website, he has called for raising the minimum wage to $10.10, investing in infrastructure (creating jobs), re-writing trade policies, and investing in renewable energy (creating even more jobs). These are things that, simply put, make sense. See this link for more information on his wealth gap policies.
Let’s also take a moment to reflect on all of the controversial overseas wars that we’ve been involved in in the past few presidencies and how many ended up doing more harm than good. Billions of dollars have been poured into overseas operations, yet we still have so much reforming to do in our own county. Bernie recognizes this and while he does not move to neglect foreign affairs and involvement by any means, he does not want to meddle.
Bernie has also been a vigilant advocate for social equality. Need proof? Look no further than his voting records. He’s co-sponsored bills promoting gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights such as the Student Non-Discrimination Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act, and the re-introducing of the Equal Rights Amendment. He has also signed onto many more bills and has received perfect or near-perfect ratings from numerous activist organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign, and the NAACP.
The Wrap
America has become increasingly afraid of the alarming number of politicians that are all talk, corporate sell-outs, or both. Politicians who are as reliable and true to their morals as Bernie Sanders are few in number. Because he does not accept PAC money, his presidential campaign will only be made possible through supporters volunteering for his campaign on a grassroots level. This is someone who you’ll definitely want in office, so please help him to help us by spreading the word!
We Are Our Change 